


Hard Times in High School

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Canon, Child Abuse, Drama, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-04-03
Updated: 2004-04-03
Packaged: 2018-12-29 02:08:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12072369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: Brian and Justin meet at North Allegheny High. Sparks fly.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

On the first morning of his senior year of high school, Justin Taylor shut his locker and turned to find his homeroom, only to find himself in love instead. Walking down the hall of North Allegheny High, in seeming slow motion with the crowd parting before him, was the most gorgeous man Justin had ever seen. He was talk and lanky, with full lips pulled into a well-practiced smirk and locks of rich brown hair framing dark hazel eyes. He was wearing dark denim jeans that seemed custom-tailored and a black sleeveless button-up shirt that showed off his tanned, toned arms.

Pulling a shaky breath between his curvaceous lips, the slim, blond Justin leaned against the bank of lockers behind him and pretended to leaf through his notebooks, while stealing glances at the beautiful stranger walking down the hall. His breaths got even less steady as he realized the man was walking straight towards him. The brunette came right up to him, put one hand on the lockers next to Justin’s shoulder, succeeding in completely flattening the smaller man against the lockers. He then leaned his face close enough to kiss Justin, who gulped and tried not to faint.

“Excuse me.” The stranger’s plump lips enunciated while Justin stared at them.

“Hey! I’m Justin…” Justin squeaked out, mistaking the other’s words as a greeting.

“Well, Dustin.” Now the lips were sneering. “Would you mind getting out of the way of my locker?”

“Oh,” Justin said in a small voice as his eyes fell to stare at his blue and white tennis shoes. “Sorry.”

Justin slid out from the two square inches of space the other man had left him, hanging his head and failing to notice the hazel eyes follow his ass as he headed down the hall. He got about twenty feet into his escape when a female voice jolted him out of his stupor.

“Don’t worry,” she said. Justin looked up at the girl’s pleasant face, which was smiling widely. “Don’t worry. Brian Kinney’s an asshole, but he won’t beat you up unless you call him a fag.”

Justin gave an almost imperceptible twitch. “Why? Is he gay?”

The girl giggled. “You must be new here, because everyone knows that Brian got caught fucking a teacher last year. A male teacher.”

Justin’s face brightened with a toothy grin. “No!?”

“Yup. The teacher got fired. Brian got to stay because he’s the star of the soccer team.”

The bell for homeroom cut her off. When the ringing stopped, she introduced herself as Daphne and said that Justin should find her at lunchtime if he wanted. Justin gave her a thankful smile and headed off to find room 124.

 

Justin sat through his first class, French, half-listening to the teacher drone on about “les devoirs” for an hour, while doodling the initials B.K. in his notebook and daydreaming about Brian’s lips. He suspected his next class, AP U.S. History, would be equally as sleep-inducing until he looked up from his notebook as Brian walked in just as the late bell rang. The teacher said sarcastically, “How nice of you to grace us with your presence, Mr. Kinney.”

Brian gave a sneer and said, “Well, I thought you would appreciate it.”

He quickly scanned the room, his eyes pausing on Justin for a moment, before he chose an empty seat in the row behind the blond. Justin’s pale skin flushed with heat as Brian passed by him, so he took off his sweatshirt, displaying a flash of skin to anyone who was watching. Of course, Brian was the only person Justin wanted to be watching, and, luckily for Justin, the gesture did not go unnoticed by the brunette. The teacher started roll call then, and Justin spent the rest of the class trying to act like he wasn’t aware of Brian Kinney’s presence, although he thought of nothing else. Brian used the class as an opportunity to closer inspect the blond boy who he was pretty sure wanted to fuck him, and Brian decided that he would be willing to fuck the blond too, if the right situation arose.

 

After the hour had passed, Justin left to go to Calculus, using much willpower to play coy and not glance back at Brian. Calculus proceeded uneventfully, with Justin sketching disembodied arms and lips and eyes in the margins of his notebook. He had lunch after his math class was over and was dying to find that friendly Daphne girl again. Luckily, Justin ran into her in the lunch line, where they both bought sandwiches and bottles of juice, then went to sit down together.

Daphne asked, “So how was your day so far?”

Chewing a bite of sandwich, Justin responded, “I have a class with Brian Kinney.”

“Oh?” Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Did he say anything?”

“Nawh,” Justin said, dejectedly.

“That’s a bad thing? I mean, at least he didn’t make fun of you, right?”

“Yeah, I guess. It’s just…” Justin trailed off, not knowing where to take the conversation.

“You like him. You think he’s hot. You want to fuck him, basically.” Daphne finished his thought sagely.

Justin gave her a big smile for not making him say it first and just nodded a little.

“So where’d you come to good ole North Allegheny from anyway?” Daphne said after a pause.

“I went to private school before, but there was this whole kicking-out-slash-my-dad-pulling-me-out thing, so I ended up here. My dad thought public school would be more understanding of my ‘special situation'.” Justin scoffed at the last part, clearly using his father’s words, not his own.

“Hmm.” Daphne just absorbed.

“Well, I gave this kid a hand job and then he started harassing me, and there were a lot of fights, which led to me coming out to my parents, and then there was this whole failed gay-straight alliance thing, and it’s basically a really long, painful story. But, needless to say, I wasn’t sad to leave St. James’.” Justin rambled while picking at the label on his juice bottle.

Daphne, not knowing how to respond, said, a little too brightly, “Well, we have a well-established GSA here!”

Justin just laughed, and Daphne joined.

“So,” the blond boy said, leaning forward, “Tell me all the dirt on Brian Kinney.”

“Well, everyone knows he’s gay, he’s not shy about it, but you wouldn’t catch him dead at a GSA meeting. Rumor has it he’s like a total male skank. His best friend Michael occasionally tells other people these stories about shit Brian’s done. Seems pretty wild to me.”

“Best friend Michael?” Justin questioned.

“Yeah. Michael Novotny. He’s gay too. But don’t worry, I’m almost positive there could never be anything more there. What else? Umm… Brian is one of those people who will do anything or say anything without regard for other people. This usually leads to him being good for amusement in a class, as long as you aren’t the object of his berating. Most of the administration doesn’t really like him because of the whole ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude, but he’s made a name for NA playing soccer, and he’s really smart, and, oh yeah, he’s totally hot, so people put up with him for the most part.”

Justin’s grin widened at the ‘totally hot’ comment and he gave a little groan of agreement. The bell rang then, and he and Daphne parted ways, promising to see each other at the lockers the next morning. Justin doodled his way through Chemistry, English, and Art class, in which he at least didn’t have to be discrete, then the blond headed home, where he hoped his father was not waiting with a barrage of questions about whether he had ‘flaunted’ himself.


	2. Hard Times in High School

Several weeks later, senior year was going well for Justin. He wasn’t having problems at school, so his father was mostly off his case. He still hadn’t spoken to Brian since the first day of classes, but sly smiles had been exchanged. He and Daphne had fast become best friends. Furthermore, Justin was being recognized at a school banquet for his achievements in art.

Justin, having arrived early to help set up, met his parents and little sister in the school lobby, dressed nicely in khaki pants and a blue dress shirt. Some of his work, mostly cheesy assignments for class, was on display there. His father perused for a polite amount of time, then excused himself to take the whining Molly to find their seats. Justin’s mother, much more of an art enthusiast, carefully looked at all Justin’s pieces, making encouraging remarks about each one. The last of his works was a semi-abstract painting he’d done independent of any class assignment. That canvas’s focus was a pair of dark hazel eyes, Brian’s eyes, but Jennifer didn’t know this. She just gazed at it for a long while, and then said, “Wow, Justin. That’s pretty intense. We’d better go find our seats, though.”

Justin and Jennifer found Craig and Molly seated at a table with the other student who being honored for art and her family. Nearby was a rowdy table with the best of the sports players. Other various tables held the best academics and the greatest band and orchestra members. They took their seats and made small talk with the people around them until the principal cleared his throat into the microphone at the front of the room, calling for attention. Everyone turned to face that direction just as Brian Kinney, looking stunning in black slacks and a silky red dress shirt made an appearance at the door to the principal’s left. Justin fought off a grin as Brian casually walked over to the sports players’ table and sat down, having made quite an entrance. After a few weeks of history class with the taller man, Justin knew that Brian liked to make entrances. Justin had also become acquainted with Brian’s intelligence, quick wit, and opinionatedness.

The principal started his spiel about how the students present were the best of North Allegheny High and they deserved to be recognized, yadda, yadda. Justin clapped politely while the other students accepted their awards and the other students clapped politely when Justin received his plaque.

 

The night was a successful family outing for the Taylors until they got to the parking lot to leave. Next to the car Justin had driven was a rusty old Jeep with the hood up, making unseemly noises. Standing next to it, obviously not pleased with the situation, was Brian Kinney. Justin, of course, offered to help, but Brian said there was nothing he could do. Then Justin offered to give Brian a lift home, and Craig made a loud noise at the prospect of his son being alone with another man. Justin turned around to look at Jennifer and Craig standing side by side next to the other family car, sitting a few spots away.

Craig said, “Come on, Justin. Let’s go. Molly needs to get to bed.”

Justin replied, full of logic, “Then you guys go ahead in Dad’s car. I’ll drop Brian off and come home in the wagon."

"Justin…” Craig warned. Jennifer put a hand on her husband’s elbow and said something softly in his ear. Craig sighed. “All right. But hurry up and get home.”

 

Justin turned triumphantly to Brian, who hadn’t even accepted the offer. Brian eyed the blond with an eyebrow up, but slammed the hood of the Jeep down and got in the passenger side of the Taylor station wagon wordlessly. Justin got into the driver’s seat and watched his parents pull past in the rearview mirror. “So, where to?” he said to Brain with a closed-mouth smile.

Brian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you trying to get laid?”

Justin’s smile and eyes dropped. He paused for a moment and shrugged his shoulders slightly. Then he gave a small chuckle through his nose and turned towards Brian again, looking him straight in the eyes. Justin leaned over and attacked Brian’s mouth with his own. After a few seconds, he pulled back, turned the key to start the car, and said again, “So, where to?”

Brian looked him up and down and said, daring Justin, “McCandless. You know it?”

Justin nodded and pulled the car out. They drove in silence for awhile, Brian’s eyes boring into Justin’s side until Justin felt flustered enough that he had to speak. “So, umm… Your parents didn’t want to come tonight?”

Brian finally stopped staring at Justin and turned to face the front with a sigh. His voice filled with disdain, Brian said, “It’s my dad’s bowling night and he always goes out for beers afterwards. And my mom has some stupid church fundraiser or some shit like that.”

Justin just nodded and played with his lower lip a little.

“Turn left here.” Brian said as they got into his neighborhood. “It’s that one,” he said, pointing to a modest, completely dark house. “Park in the street.”

Justin slowed in front of the house Brian had pointed out, but Brian said, “Not here. Pull further up, unless you don’t wanna come up.” He dared Justin again with the last remark.

Justin parked almost in front of the neighbor’s house, and with one look at Brian’s ass as he bent to get out of the car, Justin’s mind was made up. He most certainly was coming up.

 

With a smile, Justin obediently followed Brian into the dark house. The brunette didn’t turn any lights on until he reached the kitchen at the back of the house. There, he flipped a light switch on, then went over to the sink and drank directly from the faucet. Justin just watched, his mouth falling slightly open. Brian straightened back up, wiped the corner of his mouth with his middle finger and started unbuttoning his shirt, while staring at Justin. Justin just watched, so Brian turned and headed up the staircase wordlessly. Justin paused, and then followed, wondering if he should undo his shirt too. Brian, flipping lights on as he went, walked into a room off the upstairs hallway and threw his shirt onto a chair. Justin stood in the doorway of Brian’s room, watching as the taller man took off his shoes and socks, and then started removing his pants. He was wearing black boxer-briefs. Brian threw his pants on the chair too, and then took his underwear off. Justin just watched. When he was completely naked, Brian, who previously hadn’t even acknowledged that Justin had followed him, stood with his arms spread out, baiting the blond to do more than just watch.

Justin closed the door behind him, flipped off the light switch so that the only light came from the lamp next to the bed, and took a few steps towards Brian while undoing the top few buttons of his shirt, then pulling it over his head. He stepped into the brunette’s larger frame as Brian reached for the buckle on Justin’s belt. Suddenly, unexpectedly to Justin, Brian’s lips swooped down upon Justin in a ravaging kiss while Brian’s expert hands undid Justin’s pants while the smaller man toed his shoes off. Brian broke the kiss and gave Justin the opportunity to quickly free himself of his grey briefs, his pants, and his socks. Standing naked before his wet dream come alive, Justin was unable to form any coherent thoughts. Luckily, he didn’t have to because Brian started kissing him again, soon letting his hands fall from caressing the back of the blond’s head and neck to grabbing his ass and slowly pumping his cock. Justin gasped and let his own hands start to explore. Brian eventually pulled Justin over to the bed and draped the smaller man across it, kneeling over his legs and continuing to kiss his upper half all over. After a few minutes, Brian abruptly pulled away from kissing Justin, though his hand continued slow strokes on Justin’s now very erect penis.

“Have you ever done this before?” Brian asked pointedly. Justin snapped back into reality. Knowing it was no use to lie and fearing the worst, he shook his head gradually. Brian’s features softened slightly at this, and he said, “I’ll walk you through it.”

Justin smiled and reached up to pull Brian’s head down for more kissing. When Brian felt Justin was ready, he stopped stroking him and reached over into the drawer of his nightstand for a condom and lube. Justin’s wide eyes followed his every move. Brian squirted lube onto his fingers and, looking Justin right in the eye as he did it, pushed his index finger into Justin’s fluttering hole, eliciting another gasp.

“Breathe.” He said in a low, smooth voice. Justin obeyed and soon relaxed some. So, Brian slipped a second lubed finger in alongside the first. This caused another breath to get stuck in Justin’s throat, but a sweet kiss from Brian on the side of his neck forced it down. Responding to Justin’s signals again, Brian eventually felt it was time to move forward. After planting a deep kiss on Justin’s mouth, he opened the condom wrapper in his teeth and handed the condom to Justin.

“Put it on me.” Brain said, halfway between a question and a command. Justin looked down their glistening bodies and smiled when he saw Brian’s hard cock lying next to his own. He reached down and rolled it on, suddenly becoming conscious of the moment. Justin was very aware of Brian removing his fingers, putting Justin’s legs up on his broad shoulders, and pushing the head of his cock against Justin’s hole.

“Ready?” Brian said, again not entirely a question. Justin took a deep breath to show he was. As Brian pushed inside Justin, the blond’s face scrunched up. He took another deep breath in through his nose and leaned up to kiss Brian voraciously. The larger man started making slow, calculated movements with his hips. He saw a flash in Justin’s eyes as he grazed the other man’s prostate. The noise that escaped Justin’s throat mid-kiss and traveled into Brian sent tingles down his spine. Brian knew he wouldn’t last too long with Justin’s muscles gripping his penis so strongly, but he was pretty sure that, at the moment, Justin had no sense of time with which to measure how quickly he came. Brian started to consciously create friction on Justin’s cock with their torsos, in an attempt to make them come together. Sure enough, Justin came after a few minutes, making more noises into Brian’s mouth that traveled straight down his spine to his own, ready to explode, penis. Brian gave a few more shortened thrusts into Justin’s spasming hole and shot his own load into the condom.

Justin was still breathing hard as he gazed into Brian’s eyes with so much raw emotion that it scared the larger man, who pulled out, discarded the condom over the side of the bed, and switched off the light. Staying on his side with his back to Justin, Brian drifted off to sleep wordlessly. Justin shifted gingerly onto his side also and stared adoringly at the rise and fall of Brian’s back. Falling into the same rhythm as the brunette, Justin soon fell asleep too, without so much of a thought as to any other place he should be, because he had never been happier than where he was then.

 

“Shit!”

Justin awoke the next morning to Brian swearing panickedly.

“Shit! You can’t be here. Why didn’t you go home?” Brian asked, not quite maliciously.

“I… I guess I fell asleep. Sorry?” Justin sat up and looked at Brian, becoming worried too.

“Fuck! My parent’s can’t see you. They can’t know you’re here.” Brian’s voice made it obvious there was no leeway in this matter, not that Justin was dying to go introduce himself. Justin groaned and fell back onto the pillow.

“Fuck. My parents are gonna be pissed too.” The blond looked down his body as Brian continued to mutter swear words, and he cringed when he saw crusty semen clinging to his stomach.

“Can I take a shower first? I can’t go home like this.” Justin asked timidly. Brian looked down at Justin’s body and played with his tongue in his mouth for a few moments, mulling it over. “We’ll have to take one together,” he said finally, with a smirk, “Or my parents’ll hear.”

He reached over to the drawer of the bedside table and pulled out another condom, playing with it between his fingers. Justin laughed quietly and said, “Okay.”

 

Justin softly climbed out Brian’s window onto the roof of the porch that jutted off the back of the Kinney home and then writhed his way down a trellis. Out of breath by the time he reached the ground, Justin took a moment to contemplate the past twelve hours. He’d had sex and spent the night with Brian Kinney, then woken up and had shower sex with Brian Kinney, and then had to sneak undetected out of the Kinneys’ home so that they would not suspect their son had sex with other guys. This was a lot for Justin to comprehend in a short time, plus the fact that he still had to face his own parents was also weighing on him. He knew his father would assume that he’d spent the night fucking Brian, which was true, Justin admitted to himself as he snuck through the bushes to get back to his car. There were two cars in the driveway of Brian’s house that had not been there the previous night, Justin noted as he drove past, on his way back to his own neighborhood.

When he pulled up in his own driveway, Justin saw his father doing yard work on the front lawn. The small blond calmly got out of the car and walked up the path past his father, wordlessly.

“Justin!” His father said, dripping with disdain. Justin just kept walking, opened the front door, and went inside. His mother and Molly were in the kitchen when Justin sheepishly walked in.

“Justin!” His mother exclaimed, clearly relieved. “What…”

She trailed her question off as she reconsidered if she actually wanted to know what her son had been doing. The front door slammed and Craig’s gruff voice yelled out Justin’s name again. Justin winced, and then gave his mother a small smile. She squeezed Justin’s shoulder as Craig came storming into the room.

“Justin. What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Molly made a noise out of uncomfortableness, causing Jennifer to give Craig a stern look.

“Molly, honey. Why don’t you do play on the swing set out back, okay?” Jennifer dismissed her daughter. Craig waited until Molly had vacated the area and then turned to Justin with renewed fury.

“What the fuck, Justin?”

“Dad, I’m sorry. We fell asleep. I should’ve called and said I wouldn’t be right home.” Justin was apologetic.

“You shouldn’t have gone at all. You shouldn’t... be alone with men if you can’t control your disgusting habits.” Craig snarled.

“It’s not a fucking habit, Dad! It’s my life. And I don’t care if you think it’s disgusting, I’m going to live it anyway.” Justin yelled back, and added as an afterthought, “Because I like it!”

Craig looked like he was going to blow chunks all over the kitchen at that remark. “We are going to have to send you away. You need mental help.”

“Fuck you, Dad. It’s not a fucking sickness either. Sending me somewhere else isn’t gonna make me stop being gay. You just won’t have to deal with it if I’m not here. You’ll be able to pretend that I’m not out there fucking guys if you don’t have to see me, but I will still be gay. I will always be your gay son!”

That last comment got him a slap across the face, which caused Jennifer to enter the altercation, yelling, “Craig!”

Jennifer took a deep breath. “Justin isn’t going anywhere. We need to deal with this.”

She turned and looked at her son. “Justin, it was wrong of you to spend the night away from the house without permission. I don’t know what you were doing, and I’m not assuming anything, but you lied. And that was wrong.”

Justin nodded and tried to slow his breathing back to normal.

“And Craig, it was wrong of you to hit Justin. You will never do that again, understand? It was also wrong of you to criticize Justin’s sexuality, because it is not something that can be changed. You must be more understand…” Jennifer trailed off because Craig had turned and stomped straight out of the house. As Justin and Jennifer stood in the kitchen looking at each other, they heard the car door slam and the car peel out of the driveway. Jennifer’s previous collected manner broke away to reveal strangled sobs. She and Justin stood, hugging, for a long time until Molly came back in from the backyard wondering if it was okay to stop playing.


	3. Hard Times in High School

A little over a week later, Justin felt like his life was crumbling out from beneath him. The most he’d spoken to Brian since they’d fucked had been a “Hey, Brian” “Hey, Taylor” exchange at their lockers from which Brian had promptly walked away. His mother hadn’t heard a word from his father for days until a lawyer called to say Craig was filing for divorce, and, on top of it all, Justin was coming down with some illness.

Justin sat with Daphne at the lunch table not even pretending to eat his bagel. Daphne gave a sympathetic smile. “Maybe you should go to the nurse?”

“Hmm…” Justin made an ambiguous noise.

“Maybe she’ll let you go home.”

“I don’t wanna go home. I wanna see Brian.” Justin said stubbornly, and quite childishly.

“I don’t think barfing on him is gonna make him want to be with you, no offense, honey. You should worry about getting better first, then deal with everything else later.”

Justin shot Daphne a withering look that said ‘stop being so practical’. When the bell signifying the end of the lunch period went off but the ringing continued in Justin’s head, he reconsidered his refusal to go to the school nurse, but Daphne had already headed off to class.

 

Walking slowly, making each step as deliberate as possible, Justin tried to keep the floor steady beneath his feet as he headed towards the nurse’s office. He was barely halfway there when the walls started spinning around him and the floor suddenly turned to Jello. Justin felt himself starting to fall backwards, but the landing pad was soft and warm and felt like home.

Justin looked up to find himself in Brian’s arms. “What…” he asked feebly.

“I’m playing hooky. And what exactly are you doing, Taylor?”

“Nurse…” Justin managed to squeak out.

Brain hooked his arm around the smaller man’s waist and supported him the rest of the way to the nurse’s office. He swung the door open and said, “Hey Deb! I brought ya a customer.”

Justin groaned and saw a crazy mess of bright red hair swimming in front of him. Brian helped him across the room and laid him down on a cot. “I found him wandering the halls about ready to pass out.” Brian clarified.

Deb busied herself preparing a thermometer and stuck it in Justin’s mouth. “Do you know him?”

“Name’s Justin Taylor.” Brian replied tersely.

Deb gave him a raised eyebrow. “But do you know him?”

Brian snorted and then sighed. “All right. I fucked him about a week ago. He wasn’t sick then.”

Deb looked at him knowingly and just murmured, “Mmm hmm.”

Justin started babbling incoherently then, and Deb removed the thermometer and looked at it. “101. I guess I better call his mom. His name is Taylor, you said?”

Brian nodded. “Can I go now?” he asked snidely, his hand already on the knob.

“Hold on a second there, Mister. I wanna talk to you after I call this poor boy’s mother.”

Brian rolled his eyes, but obeyed. He sat down on a cot facing the one Justin occupied and started playing with a tongue depressor. After looking up the number, Deb called Justin’s mother and arranged for her to pick Justin up.

“All right there, Mister,” she said addressing Brian while stroking Justin’s forehead. “Have you spoken to this poor child after you fucked him?”

Brain scoffed, full of attitude. “Not really.”

“Has he tried to talk to you?”

“I guess.”

Deb gave him a stern look. “When are you going to realize that not everyone you fuck is as emotionless as you?”

“Hey! I didn’t come here for a lecture. I was doing the kid a favor not leaving him passed out in the middle of the hallway. I can get enough lectures when I come to visit Mikey. I don’t need them at school too.”

Brian and Debbie had a mini glare-off for a moment, but Deb gave in. “You’re right. You did a good thing bringing him here. But maybe you should consider actually speaking to him when he is coherent.”

Brian gave another loud attitude-filled sigh. “I’ll consider it.”

Deb chuckled and changed the topic to lighter things, mainly what she was planning for dinner, if Brian wanted to join her and Michael. Within a few minutes, there was knock on the door and Jennifer Taylor entered. She surveyed the scene. Her son was lying in a pool of sweat on a cot next to the boy who had last been seen on the night her son didn’t come home, which resulted in her husband leaving. The handsome brunette was having a conversation with a woman dressed like a clown on acid. Jennifer needed to sit down. She perched on the edge of Justin’s cot and tried to ask him what was wrong.

Because Justin was pretty much incoherent, Deb answered instead, “I’m pretty sure it’s just the good ole flu. It’s been going around. You could take him to his usual doctor for actual tests, or just give him plenty of fluids and wait for the fever to break. I’m the nurse, Debbie Novotny, by the way.” She stuck her hand out and Jennifer reluctantly shook it. Deb then jerked a thumb towards Brian. “And that’s Brian Kinney. He escorted your son here, safe and sound.”

“Thank you, Brian.” Jennifer said softly. Brian did not respond. “How’s your car?” Jennifer asked.

Brian smirked at this. “It’s all fixed.”

Debbie interjected, “Brian, why don’t you help Mrs. Taylor get Justin to her car and arrange a time you can drop off his missed work later in the week?” This sounded like a nice request to Jennifer’s ears, but Brian knew he had no choice in the matter.

“Come on, Taylor. Up, up.” Brian said as he wrapped Justin’s arm around his shoulder and put his own arm around Justin’s waist. “Time to move.”

They shuffled out the door together. Jennifer surveyed the nurse’s office one more time, taking a long glance at the PFLAG bumper stickers plastered all over Deb’s desk, and then said thank you before she shut the door behind her. After arranging Justin in the seat of Jennifer’s car, Brian stood awkwardly while Jennifer searched her purse for her keys.

“Umm… so, d’you want me to bring his work by sometime?”

“That would be nice, if it’s not too much of a hassle.”

“What day?”

“Anytime will be fine.”

“Okay. I’ll try to stop by then.”

“Okay, Brian. Thank you for all your help.” Jennifer said curtly before getting in her car and driving off, leaving Brian breathing a cloud of exhaust.

 

After a few days of bed rest and lots of fluids down his throat, Justin was recovering nicely from his bout of flu. He was finishing the week out at home, watching endless hours of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, gathering his strength to face school again the next Monday. Late that afternoon, Justin’s TV-watching was interrupted by a knock on his door. He figured it was Daphne, because his mother wouldn’t have knocked. “Come in.” He said, pausing the DVD, propping himself upright, and smoothing a hand over his hair.

To Justin’s surprise, Brian opened the door, looking fabulous having come from soccer practice wearing track pants and a tight plain white t-shirt. Justin was suddenly thankful his mother had convinced him to shower that morning, but he still felt inadequate wearing just boxers and a baggy t-shirt. Still, Justin gave a wide smile as Brian entered and closed the door behind him.

“Nurse made me bring you your missed work.” Brian said nonchalantly as he put a stack of papers on Justin’s dresser.

“Oh.” Justin’s smile dropped. “Well, thanks, I guess.”

Justin’s blue eyes followed Brian’s back as the brunette walked around the room, inspecting everything. He picked up an open sketchpad off Justin’s desk and, raising an eyebrow, held it up so Justin could see the picture. On the paper were several small sketches. One was of a naked man from behind; the head looking coyly over the shoulder was clearly Brian’s. Several others on the page were of Craig in angry poses. Justin yanked the pad out of Brian’s hand. Brian gave a closed mouth snort and turned back to inspect Justin’s CD collection.

“So, was that anyone I know?” he asked playfully.

“My dad.” Justin said quietly, sadly.

“You draw your dad naked?!”

“No, that was you. The other ones were my dad.”

Brain paused, then turned around and looked at Justin. “Is he always that angry?”

“Ever since he found out I’m gay, yeah. But he’s not around any more. My homosexuality drove him off.” Justin tried to say this breezily, but his voice and eyes betrayed him.

“Well, if he’s such an asshole, isn’t it better that he’s gone?”

“But… my mom and my sister…”

Brian turned his back again and let silence permeate the room for a few minutes. Then he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to Justin, leaned close, and said, “How many naked drawings of me do you have?”

Justin smiled, gathering courage, leaned even closer, and said, “A lot.”

Before either of them was aware of having made a move, they were kissing desperately. Justin was running his hands furiously over Brian’s chest and abs, pushing his shirt up. Brian pulled back for a moment to pull his own shirt and Justin’s off while Justin panted hungrily. Brian pushed Justin back down on the bed and climbed on top of him, his knees on either side of Justin’s thighs. Brian kissed his way down the blond’s torso until he reached the elastic band of Justin’s boxers. Justin raised his hips and Brian slid the boxers down past the smaller man’s knees and Justin kicked them the rest of the way off. Justin made a moan that made Brian look up at the other man’s face and see him with his mouth slack and open and his eyes boring back into Brian’s. The brunette looked back down at Justin’s swollen cock bobbing in front of him and attacked it hungrily, covering it with kisses and licks, then taking the entire shaft into his mouth. Brian found himself grinding against the bed unconsciously in an attempt to create some friction on his own engorged cock. He moaned a little, creating vibrations around Justin’s dick that sent the blond into orgasm. Justin, coming back into reality from his high, smiled when he saw Brian swallowing down his semen. Taking some initiative, Justin flipped Brian onto his back, pulled the track pants off, and returned the favor.

They both lay on their backs side by side, staring at the ceiling for awhile afterwards. Justin’s leg was thrown over one of Brian’s, but neither made an attempt to shift positions.

“It’s bullshit, you know.” Brian said suddenly.

“What?” Justin was confused.

“Your dad leaving because you’re gay. That’s bullshit.”

Justin turned on his side to look at Brian, but Brian continued to stare at the ceiling.

“Fuck people who can’t handle it. You and your mom and your sister don’t need him if he can’t deal.”

Justin just reacted by dropping a hand onto Brian’s bare chest and tracing patterns on it. Brian lay silently for a few more minutes, then got up and put his pants and shirt back on. He left Justin lying on the bed, watching the larger man’s every move, and closed the door quietly behind him.


	4. Hard Times in High School

The following Monday found Justin back in school, good as new. He hadn’t caught Brian at their lockers that morning because he had to take a note explaining his absence to the main office, so he convinced Daphne to attend the soccer game after school with him. When the game was over, NA winning over Butler 3-0 and Brain scoring all the goals, Justin and Daphne simultaneously licked their lips as they watched Brian peel his shirt off and dump water over his head. They both started giggling as each noticed the other ogling.

“I’m gonna catch Brian as he leaves the locker room, so you could wait in the car if you want.” Justin hinted at Daphne.

“All right. I’ve gotta get some reading done anyway, but don’t be too long.” Daphne headed to her car as Justin walked over to the school entrance near the locker rooms. A few minutes later, the team came tumbling through the doors, laughing and yelling loudly, rowdy from the victory. However, Brian was not among them. Justin waited a few minutes, but there was still no sign of Brian. Knowing it probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but not caring, Justin pushed the doors open and headed into the locker room in search of Brian. Justin heard some muffled noises and turned the corner around a row of lockers to see the red head of one of the opposing team’s members bobbing over Brian’s crotch.

“Brian…” Justin croaked out.

“What!” Brian’s head snapped over from its previously lolled back position and the head stopped moving until Brian put his hand on the back of it, coaxing it to continue.

“I wanted to say thanks?” Justin feebly continued, “For visiting me when I was sick.”

“Whatever.” Brian stopped acknowledging Justin’s presence and went back to groaning softly.

Justin, eyes brimming with tears, turned and fled the locker room, only to run into the nurse in the lobby.

“Hey! Watch it,” she said shrilly, then took a closer look at Justin. “Oh. Taylor, isn’t it?”

“Justin.” The blond nodded, wiping at his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Sunshine? You look like you just found a dead body in there.” She gestured towards the locker room with a garish red fingernail.

“Umm…” Justin didn’t know what to tell her.

“Well, narrow it down for me, hon. Is it school, family, boys, or are you just still feeling sick?”

Justin looked up when she said boys. “How’d…”

“Brian Kinney.”

“He told you? When?”

“Well, I forced it outta him the day he brought you to my office sick. I knew he wouldn’t’ve helped just anyone.”

“He helped me?”

“Yeah, babe. He practically carried you through the halls. He said you’d almost passed out. I guess you were pretty outta it if you don’t remember.”

“Hmm…” Justin murmured in agreement. “But… do you ask about all your patients’ sex lives to the person who brings them in?”

Debbie chuckled. “Nope, just Brian. See, he and my son Michael have been best friends for years. I know all about his wily ways.”

“Oh.” Justin was beginning to comprehend.

“So, you wanna tell me what your little drama was about?”

“Brian.” Justin admitted sheepishly.

“Mmhm. Mmhm.” Deb said knowingly.

“He’s in there getting blown by some guy and didn’t even care when I tried to say thanks for visiting me when I was sick.”

“He visited you?” Deb was surprised, realizing this meant something.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll tell ya what, Sunshine. Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? I’ll make sure Brian’s there, and you can try thanking him while he’s not mid-coitus.”

“But… I don’t even know you, or Michael.” Justin said skeptically.

“Well, if you come, maybe you can get to.” Deb said, making Justin feel a little idiotic.

“All right. I guess. If Brian’ll be there…” Justin acquiesced.

Deb fished a random scrap of paper out of her purse, which look like something a cat would throw up after eating too many Skittles, and wrote down directions. “Okay then, Justin. 6:30.”

Justin looked at the paper as she pressed it into his hand. It was a flyer for PFLAG. “Okay,” Justin said. “Thank you.” He turned and headed to the car where Daphne was waiting, leaving the nutty nurse standing in the lobby.

A few minutes later, Brian emerged from the locker room looking pleased. He groaned when he saw Deb and rolled his eyes hard.

“Hey! Kinney! Dinner, 6:30, my house. Be there, or we’ll be eating your nuts for dessert.”

Brian glared at her and groaned again. “Fine.” He walked past her and drove away in his rickety Jeep.

 

“What the fuck?” Michael answered the door when Justin showed up at the Novotny home promptly at 6:30.

Justin gave a hopeful smile and said, “Your mom invited me.”

Debbie poked her head around a corner and said, “Oh, hey Sunshine! Come on in. Michael, be polite.”

Michael stepped aside and let Justin enter, still not looking too happy. He padded, sock-footed, back towards the kitchen without a word. Justin followed, not knowing what else to do. He smiled brightly at Deb when she looked up from preparing the salad.

“So honey, I’m glad to see you’ve recovered nicely from that flu.”

“Umm, yeah. Thanks for looking after me. I was really outta it for awhile there.”

“No problem, kiddo. I basically just passed you from Brian on to your mother. Didn’t do much at all, really.”

Michael’s head snapped out of the comic book he was reading at the mention of Brian’s name.

“Yeah my mom said thanks too. She didn’t want me to come over here empty handed, but there wasn’t time. So, she sends her apologies for the impoliteness.”

“She seems like a lovely lady, Justin.”

“She is. She’s great about… things.”

Deb nodded knowingly as Justin took a stack of plates from her and started putting them around the table.

“My dad… kind of ran off after I spent the night with Brian. So, now my mom’s trying to fend for herself and raise my sister all alone.”

When Justin mentioned Brian, Michael gave a small snort, which he covered up with throat clearing. Deb swatted her son’s head unsubtly as she walked past.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Justin. But it’s not your fault your dad left. It’s his own damn fault.”

Justin bit his lower lip and nodded very faintly as he placed forks next to the plates. “That’s what Brian said,” Justin said softly.

Michael looked incredulous, but kept his mouth shut.

“Brian is a smart boy sometimes. Other times, he’s as dumb as a brick of shit.” Debbie told Justin, putting the last of the dishes on the table. They were all sitting down, just about ready to dig in, when Brian sauntered in. He eyed Justin, who had brightened the second the brunette had appeared, suspiciously, but sat down anyway.

“What is my stalker doing here?” he asked as he piled pasta onto his plate. Justin opened his mouth and started to say something, but changed his mind.

“I invited him. I thought he would be nice company compared to you two.” Debbie said haughtily. Brian shot her a look across the table.

“So Mikey, how’s the new issue of Captain Astro?” Brian asked pointedly, prompting Michael to babble out nonsense for the next five minutes, which the rest of the diners basically ignored. The meal progressed with Brian not acknowledging Justin’s presence no matter how hard Deb tried to get them to talk. Justin, feeling dejected, excused himself to the bathroom mid-meal.

“Sure honey. It’s upstairs to the right.” Deb directed the blond. As soon as Justin disappeared up the stairwell, Debbie turned her attention to Brian. “Listen up, you little fucker. You better start acknowledging that boy. He obviously has feelings for you, god knows why, and I will not sit idly by while you break his poor little heart. So, go talk to him, and be nice, dammit!”

Brain gave her attitude in the form of a big dramatic sigh, but pushed his chair out and got up. Justin was just coming out of the bathroom when Brian reached the top of the staircase. “Hey?” Justin greeted the taller man, tentatively.

“Justin.” Brian grabbed the blond’s hand as Justin tried to pass him in the hallway. Brian sighed, dropped the other man’s hand, and started again. “Justin, look. Yes, we fucked. Yes, we had a good time together, but I don’t owe you shit, and you don’t owe me shit. We are not in a relationship. We are not boyfriends. I do exactly what I want when I want, and if that means we fuck, then it means that we fuck, but it does not commit us to each other. Okay?”

Justin nodded slowly, while getting lost in Brian’s eyes. His hand, not consciously controlled by his brain, reached up and pulled Brain’s head towards his own until they were kissing, softly at first, then deeper and passionately. Justin broke off to ask, “Is this exactly what you want when you want?”

Brian laughed, pulled Justin close to his body, and recommenced the kissing. Downstairs, still sitting at the table with her son, Deb said with sudden realization, “Oh God! I sent them off to fuck, didn’t I?”

Mikey nodded grimly in agreement.


	5. Hard Times in High School

Weeks went by, the outdoor soccer season segued into the indoor season, Justin’s letter of early acceptance from the Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Arts came, and Brian got a scholarship from Duquesne. Justin and Brian’s non-relationship agreement was working out. Brian was acknowledging him in school and they were fucking quite often. Justin even dared to say they had almost had enough conversation to call themselves friends. Justin was happy.

Jennifer, after finding the PFLAG brochure Debbie had given Justin, was becoming active in the gay community and was even under Deb’s influence enough to allow Brian and Justin to be alone together in her house, provided they had a healthy supply of condoms. Since Christmas got people in a giving mood, PFLAG was having a fundraiser that Jennifer and Debbie became involved with. They convinced Justin to display some of his artwork at the fundraiser. One of the pieces Justin chose to display was a larger version of Brian, nude of course, from behind, looking over his shoulder. Justin had done many versions of this sketch and was pleased with how the latest had emerged. Justin was even more pleased when a reporter asked if she could use a shot of Justin’s drawing alongside an article about the fundraiser. Justin agreed with a wide smile, signed the release forms, and chatted casually with the reporter.

 

Justin was still pleased the next morning when he saw the picture in the paper, large and on the front page of the Arts and Leisure section. The caption read, “Local gay artist Justin Taylor sketched his lover to raise money for PFLAG.” Just then, the doorbell of the Taylor home rang out repeatedly. Justin opened it to reveal Brian, who had the beginnings of a black eye swelling up a quarter of his face. “Fuck, Justin!”

Brian punched the door that Justin was holding open. “How the fuck could you do that?”

Justin moved aside and let Brian enter his house, closing the door behind him. “What happened, Brian?” Justin asked timidly, confused.

“What happened? I’ll tell you what the fuck happened. My parents fucking saw that article and recognized me in the picture.” Brian yelled angrily, pacing around the living room.

“Fuck.” Justin said softly, realizing that he’d inadvertently outed Brian to his parents.

“Fuck is right. My mom told me I’m going to hell, my dad punched me, then kicked 'the disgusting little fairy faggot' out of his house. Fuck doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Brian seemed to literally be steaming.

Justin walked over to the pacing brunette, took one of his hands in his own, lacing their fingers together, put his other arm around Brian’s waist, trying to get him to stop moving around and calm down. “Fuck, Brian. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think about that… I’m… sorry.”

“Fuck…” Brian breathed out for what seemed like the first time since he arrived. His shoulders started to shake and let Justin pull him into a hug.

“Brian,” Justin said, rubbing the taller man’s back. “If they can’t deal, you are better off without them. You made me believe that about my dad, and if it’s true for him, it’s true for your parents too. You are better off without them.”

Brian pulled back out of the hug and looked into Justin’s eyes with his hands on either side of Justin’s neck. He gave a feeble smile then leaned forward and gently, almost chastely, kissed Justin on the lips. Then, he put his right cheek up to Justin’s left cheek and whispered into Justin’s ear, “Fuck me.”

Justin looked surprised, but didn’t say anything. He took Brian’s hand and led him up to his bedroom. Brian stood numbly and let Justin do all the work of undressing them. Then, Justin lay Brian down on the bed on his side and settled himself down behind the brunette, while placing soft kisses on his neck.

When the first lubed finger entered, Brian closed his eyes and concentrated on controlling his breathing. Justin rubbed Brian’s stomach with his free hand, encouraging him to relax. The second finger elicited a soft moan from deep in Brian’s throat. Justin nuzzled his nose and grazed his lips against the nape of Brian’s neck. Once Brian stopped clenching so hard, Justin replaced his fingers with the latex-covered head of his cock. Brian twisted his head around to kiss Justin, who began a slow rocking motion, not really pulling in and out, just rocking and shifting slightly, while gently pulling on Brian’s cock. After some time had passed imperceptibly, both men came with a shared gasp. Justin just wrapped his arms around Brian and pulled his broad back into his own heaving chest, their bodies staying locked together as they drifted off to sleep.

 

A few hours later, Justin’s naptime ended as he heard rustling in the room. He opened his eyes to see Brian dressing. They exchanged smiles and Justin contemplated what to say. Unable to decide, he simply got up and put some clothes on too. Eventually Brian sighed and said, “I’ve gotta figure out what to do, Justin. Where to live…”

“Here.” Justin said softly. “You can have a home here.”

He and Brian walked downstairs, hand in hand. They encountered Jennifer and Molly unpacking groceries in the kitchen. “Jesus, Brian! What happened to your face?” Jennifer exclaimed.

So, after Molly had been sent outside to play, Justin and Brian told the story to a sympathetic and horrified Jennifer. But when Justin got to the part about Brian moving in, she fidgeted around uncomfortably. “Justin, you’re only seventeen years old. I don’t think it is prudent to be living with your boyfriend at that age. No offense, Brian. I feel for your situation, I really do, but wouldn’t the Novotnys be a wiser choice?”

A glance was exchanged between the guys and they both turned back to Jennifer, nodding. So Jennifer called Deb to let her in on the day’s events and see if she would be willing to take Brian in. While his mother was on the phone, Justin wrapped his arms around one of Brian’s and leaned close to the brunette’s ear. “So… boyfriend?” he questioned softly.

Brian shrugged and kissed him on the bridge of the nose.


	6. Hard Times in High School

Brian had been living in the Novotnys’ basement for a week and the arrangement was working well. There were only a few days left until Christmas and Brian, who had almost always been considered family anyway, was truly welcomed with open arms, not that he particularly wanted Deb’s hugs.

Brian and Justin lay huddling close together on Brian’s small bed, sharing one of Brian’s cigarettes in their post-coital bliss. “So…” Brian exhaled smoke and passed the cigarette over to Justin. “… About this whole Christmas thing.”

“What about it?”

“Let’s not make a big deal, all right? I don’t want us to feel like we have to outdo each other with presents, mmkay?”

“Hmm…” Justin said sleepily. He shifted his hips against Brian’s leg and said, “Are you just saying that ‘cause you don’t know what to get me?”

Brian took the cigarette back and took a drag. “Well, I was thinking instead of a material present, I wanted to take you on a date. A real dinner-in-a-restaurant date.”

Justin’s face lit up and he looked adoringly up at Brian. “Mmm… that sounds nice. I could agree to that.”

Brain smiled back and said, “Okay then, keep the night of the 26th open then.”

Justin placed a kiss on Brian’s chest and snuggled up closer, starting to drift off.

 

On Christmas Eve, Brian and Justin were once again laying in bed, post-coital, but this time in Justin’s room. Justin wriggled out from under Brian’s arm and hopped up to start rooting through his backpack. He came up with a tube wrapped in red foil, tied with silver ribbon on either end. “Since you already told me what my present is and we won’t see each other tomorrow anyway, I’ll give this to you now.” Justin said as he presented the gift to Brian. “I hope it is sufficiently un-big-dealish for you,” he said with a smile.

Brian propped himself up on the headboard and untied the ribbons. He slipped a large piece of textured sketching paper out of the foil and uncurled it to reveal the now infamous drawing of Brian from behind, naked in all his glory, looking backwards over his shoulder. Brian smiled and said, “I love it. Thank you.”

He pulled Justin back down onto the bed with one hand, carefully placing the picture on the nightstand with the other hand, and began to kiss the smaller boy all over.

 

The night after Christmas, Brian pulled up in his Jeep to pick Justin up for the first and only real date he’d ever been on. He was looking stunning in all black. Justin emerged from his house wearing gray dress pants and a baby blue sweater over a striped dress shirt. Brian pecked the blond on the cheek as he opened the car door for Justin, who couldn’t stop grinning.

Bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, the boys were so lost in each other’s eyes that they barely noticed the waiter aheming at them to get their order. Brian had the steak, Justin had a chicken and pasta dish, but the night really wasn’t about the food; it was about the company. They shared tiramisu for dessert, feeding spoonfuls to each other, oblivious to stares from some of the other diners. At one point, Brian leaned over and licked a spot of whipped cream off Justin’s upper lip. This sent them both into a fit of happy giggles and they decided it was time to leave. Brian suavely paid the bill and they walked out, Justin’s arm wrapped around Brian’s waist and Brian’s arm draped across Justin’s shoulders. The smaller man tucked himself into the larger man’s frame for warmth and Brian bent his head down to softly kiss his neck while the valet brought Brian’s Jeep around. They slid into their seats, cranked the heat up, and turned on some mellow music in the background.

Justin looked adoringly up at Brian as the brunette navigated the streets of Pittsburgh on the way to the highway that headed to the suburbs. “Thanks, Brian. That was amazing. It was perfect.”

“I was shooting for ridiculously romantic.”

“You succeeded.”

“Well, I wanted something special to mark out first date, something to solidify our relationship.”

Justin’s smile could not have been any bigger. He leaned over to kiss Brian on the cheek and snuggled closer to Brian, whose fingertips stroked at the blond hairs on the nape of his neck.

“Mmm…” Justin let out a low, deep sound of complete and total bliss as he nuzzled against the man he loved, truly and completely happy.


End file.
